Flight
by Maniac345
Summary: Danny, upset with Vlad, flies higher than ever before.
1. Chapter 1

**(This story takes place during Eye for an Eye, but the issue of Vlad's dictatorship isn't solved yet. Warning: I didn't edit this much. This is just a strange idea I had, and I own nothing in the DP series.)  
**  
Danny groaned.

The raven haired teen leaned against the side of a building, shadowed by its bulky form. His arms were crossed in malcontent, closer to his icy core as he pondered icy thoughts. The whole situation with pranking Vlad hadn't gone his way- or _any_ way he'd expected at all- and it was clear he'd bitten off more than he could chew. He didn't want to admit it just yet, but it was more disheartening to him than he led on.

And what was _worse_ was the way that his apology had been rejected. Cast out like some mischievous ghost, it had been necessary to flee from the guards with his tail tucked between his legs. The older halfa hadn't sympathized with him even a smidge, exposing only more of his cruel nature. Apparently, it wasn't enough to enforce restrictive laws- the man had to rub it in his face as well.

For a supposedly classy man, Vlad was downright trashy.

Danny shook his head and began to walk towards a sidewalk, his feet pushing aside stray pebbles and bits of concrete. The best thing to do was to make a plan to get rid of the man, but it wasn't easy with distracting emotions. The boy wanted nothing more than to pummel the vampire-like ghost into the ground, but time and time again, he'd been proven to be the weaker one.

If karma was real, it was a waste of the universe's energy to give the better skills to the wrong people.

Then again, that would imply that karma simply didn't exist.

The teen huffed at the reality of his twisted fate, seeking solace from the peace- or what was _left_ of it- of Amity Park. But where could he go? The Nasty Burger was officially off limits, his school had ended a while ago- though, it wasn't much better than the restaurant ban- and his home was likely busy with the creation of anti ghost weaponry. Nowhere seemed quite welcome anymore, and it was all his fault.

Daniel sincerely wished he hadn't given in to his immaturity so soon. He'd dug himself a grave, and hated being buried inside. It was suffocating to lie under the layers of proverbial dirt, but luckily, he could only go up from here-

Wait.

 _Up_.

The young halfa paused and raised his head towards the sky, watching the soft clouds drift above. The sun shone greatly, but not bright enough to force him to shield his eyes. The vastness of the blue space occurred to him as he trailed his eyes across the horizon- there were no rules up there. Airspace, he had learned in his time as a hybrid, was the pinnacle of freedom.

Checking to see if any cameras were around, he transformed, whispering his short catchphrase as he began to float above the sidewalk.

He'd always loved flying.

"I would be careful doing that around here, Daniel."

The teen whipped around to find his new mayor standing about thirty feet away, frowning at the unwanted company. Danny's sour attitude hadn't quite dissipated, making it prominent for his enemy to see.

"Why?" the boy snapped.

Vlad smirked. "You're aware of our new anti ghost laws, and you know exactly how much stricter the guards are. Remain in ghost form long enough, and you're going to be torn apart- _molecule_ by _molecule_."

Danny shivered at the mention of the dreaded torture, and rose five feet in the air, narrowing his eyes at the man. "They're not going to catch me. They never do."

With that, he rose higher at a steady pace, keeping track of his distance from the floor. Ten, thirty, forty feet. He used the building beside him as a vague tool of measurement. Windows helped greatly.

"You'd be surprised, Daniel!" Vlad called out to him from below, his voice barely discernible. "Just where do you think you're going? You can't escape my legal authority as long as you live here!"

"Maybe," the teen muttered. "But you don't rule the sky."

With that, the boy shot his speed up and zoomed into the air, soon high enough to take in the view of the city's layout. It was a familiar view to him, and the speck of his enemy stayed put on the floor, just as he'd hoped. Vlad may have been a nuisance, but as a mayor, he was a nuisance with extra responsibility, and likely wouldn't waste time spying on him. The breeze flowed through his dark hair as he relished the aerial view, cooling his body and his mood.

But why stop there?

Daniel stared up at the sky above, taking in the immense amount of space he had left to roam. True, he'd already escaped his enemy's taunting and reached a safe point above the city inaccessible to most ghost hunters, but that certainly wasn't the limit. He had so much more room to fly, much bigger heights to reach, and a displeasing reality down below.

What was holding him back?

"Daniel!" Vlad yelled out from below, attracting the boy's attention. "I warn you, if you try to place yourself in harm by remaining a ghost, I won't be responsible for your fate!"

The young halfa rolled his eyes at the man's subtle attempt to keep him in full control. Of _course_ the man would enjoy him caught and punished, and only wanted him down on the ground to further aggravate him with more incessant rules.

Slowly, Daniel began to fly higher.

It was a strange experience, but not much different than riding an airplane. The world below began to shrink- the buildings became smaller, people turned into the size of ants, and the bustling noises of Amity Park were eventually silenced as he flew higher and higher. Breaking his unspoken limits pumped up his adrenaline, and he gazed in awe at the sights below.

"Daniel? _Where_ are you _going?_ Don't fly that high! Are you insane?"

Insane. An ironic insult from the term's living definition.

The teen watched as a familiar caped figure began to rise from the ground and near him- at first a tiny blur, then a clearer and more dangerous figure. Daniel saw nothing wrong with exploring new heights, and there was never a better time than now to do it. He would only suffocate in rules if he returned to his town, and he just needed some space.

He needed room to _breathe_.

The boy shot up higher into the sky, tripling his speed. The ground below soon took a form he'd never seen aside from pictures taken by civilian drones, exposing square and rectangular shapes that framed out various parts of the land. As he ascended further, the entire scope of Amity Park and nearby cities was taken in by his eyes, and he began to feel goosebumps.

"DANIEL FENTON!" Vlad shouted, flying closer and closer. "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO FLY THIS FAR UP?"

Daniel jolted at the sound of his enemy's voice and quadrupled his speed, feeling colder and colder temperatures swath his body and invigorate his Ice Core. Keeping his pace as he travelled further into the sky, he smirked at the implications for the wicked mayor. A fire core's abilities would be mitigated in this wind, and though Vlad was still strong enough to capture him, it still gave the teen somewhat of an edge.

And so, he quintupled his speed.

By now, people were long invisible, and cars had outright disappeared as well. Buildings had blurred into the landscape, hardly discernible from the many colors of the Earth. Browns, greens, and similar muddles colors painted the planet in humble tones, creating a lavish piece of art unable to be seen from anyone far below.

But there was still so much more to go.

"DANIEL, STOP THIS _INSTANT!"_ Vlad commanded, picking up his own pace as well. "YOU CANT EVEN SEE STATE BORDERS FROM HERE! COME BACK _NOW!"  
_  
The boy grumbled something about nagging dictators and rose higher and higher, doubling his current speed and inadvertently getting a rise out of the man. When he stared further up into the sky, he gasped, spotting a giant white barrier he'd never been this close to before.

The clouds.

Eyes wide in wonderment, he pinned his arms to his sides and braced for the brand new experience. From the bare minimum he'd learned from school- ghost fighting took up ample study time- he recalled the layers of the sky, and how clouds were a vague marker of their checkpoints. If he flew further up, he could pass the clouds and escape all weather, utterly free from rain, storm, or hail.

"DO _NOT_ PASS THOSE CLOUDS!"

Daniel flew right into them.

A massive fog surrounded his body as he ascended faster, wetness thoroughly clinging to his suit. It made sense, as clouds were made of water, but it was still an unnerving feeling. The teen could hardly see his own hands in front of him when he raised them, though the angry commands from Vlad hadn't faded into the distance. He sped up further, and soon, shot right out of the white masses.

The view was _incredible_.

Danny now found himself basking in unfiltered sunlight, suddenly a bit warmer than before. The clouds below resembled an arctic landscape- albeit a very fluffy one. They stretched as far as his eyes could see, almost like a second planet covered in ice. He felt his ghost core tingle at the sight, and gazed into his bright blue surroundings, finding them clearer than ever before.

But why not keep going?

"DANIEL!" Plasmius called out, absolute shock taking the place of his previous anger. The older halfa flew out of the white layers quickly, as if in a panic. "IF THIS IS ABOUT SEEKING REVENGE ON MY RULE, LET ME REPEAT WHAT I TOLD YOU IN MY OFFICE! YOU HAD THIS _COMING!"  
_  
The teen scoffed, and tripled his already rapid speed, flying higher and higher. It wasn't revenge at all, but if it irritated the man so much, so be it. Vlad deserved it after imposing ghost laws, and if he really cared about ridding the town from spooks, he got what he wanted. Daniel was miles away from the planet, and in an entirely new level of the atmosphere.

Soon, the vast layer of clouds below became a blurry sheet of grey as it, too, became too far for details. It was as if the boy had left Earth all over again, and he rose further in the sky, enjoying the breathtaking view of the planet. He could now see entire continents, and was sure that if he travelled further, he would see the the sun set behind the very curvature of the Earth.

A pink plasma blast jolted him out of his thoughts, zooming past his leg.

"DANIEL FENTON, YOU HAVE LOST YOUR MIND! THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! YOU-"

Danny shot back a one of his own green blasts then quickened his pace, though by now, it was draining his energy. He realized he'd worn himself out, and that the only thing that had made him ignore his previous fatigue was the surge of adrenaline permeating throughout his body.

He flew higher and higher, his jaw dropping at his first true view of an aerial sunset.

Colors exploded beyond the curve of the planet, like a bright fire whose rays snaked out every which way. Half of the planet was enveloped in a warm toned glow, lighting up the land and the oceans. When tilting his head to stare above, he could have sworn he saw a star or two, and realized he'd flown farther than he'd realized.

He was only a few layers away from entering outer space, and his inner astronaut was jumping up and down with glee. But as tempting as it was to explore that alluring side of the universe, his family's town was also encased in the brightness of the sunset- at least, he _thought_ it was- meaning his curfew was soon to come.

Perhaps another time.

"YOU- AGH, DANIEL- YOU'RE MISUSING THE PURPOSE OF EVERY ABILITY YOU HAVE!" Vlad scolded him, finally significantly near him- now only twenty feet away. "WHAT ON EARTH MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST FLY LIKE THIS? NOT EVEN NORMAL GHOSTS- _DANIEL!"  
_  
Danny flipped his body over and shot back down to earth, flying faster with the assistance of gravity. His enemy's vicious complaints were drowned out by the winds rushing past his ears and through his hair, as irrelevant as they had always been. Though the freedom was fun while it lasted, all good things must come to an end.

Taking a few sharp turns to throw the man off, he then turned himself invisible to hide even better. Vlad let out shouts of surprise and strangely enough, what seemed almost like worry. Nonetheless, Danny refused to look back, instead focusing his eyes on the planet below. It was jarring to see the landscape growing larger and larger, as if the planet itself was growing.

A burning feeling began to distract him from the view.

Daniel hissed at the sudden stinging heat that enveloped him, realizing it was the same phenomenon that burned up meteors until they were reduced to dust. He quickly turned himself intangible to allow the air to phase right through him, grateful that the hot sensations melted away.

But when he realized he was now completely off radar, he began to reconsider the notion of cutting off his exploring time. After all, there was so much more to explore...


	2. Chapter 2

**(I'm so cheesy lol)**

Vlad's eyes widened at the sight of the boy's body vanishing without a trace, causing fear to crawl up his spine. Shouting Danny's name over and over again, he heard no response, and by now, his throat began to hurt from his efforts.

"Daniel, _please_ ," he murmured, diving through the clouds and flying right under them, hoping the teen wasn't hiding in the opaque layers. "You can't do this. You'll never find your way _back."  
_  
As much as Vlad was annoyed with the boy's immaturity and silent treatment, he felt a strong sense of worry- one that even surprised _him_. Anyone could get lost in airspace, and it was hard to pinpoint accurate locations where no physical markers were to be found.

An airplane zoomed by at an incredibly loud speed, and the man turned himself invisible and phased right in, wondering if Danny was resting somewhere inside.

Nothing.

The older halfa grunted in disappointment and exited the aircraft, his heart racing at the thought of Danny disappearing into thin air- quite literally. His Fire Core worked extra hard to keep him warm, but he could hardly feel the meager comfort with all the emotions rushing through his mind. He only wanted to teach the child a lesson, not make him _disappear_ of all things.

But after searching the skies for an extra hour, it appeared to be exactly what he'd done.

Vlad's face was grim as he descended back down to earth, juggling problems in his mind like a frazzled circus performer. One one hand, he'd managed to lose track of Danny, already making his head spin. He'd also taken time away from his mayoral duties, and would no doubt have to double up his work later on. That was, if he could even _find_ the time to do so, since the boy was more of a priority.

The hardest part would be to explain the situation to his parents.

Transforming back into his human self, he landed at the Fentonworks doorstep, smoothing out his mildly disheveled hair. He tied the silver locks into its usual ponytail and knocked on the family's front door, dreading the conversation to follow. There was no easy way to explain things.

And to make things worse, it was Jack who greeted him at the door.

"Vladdie!" the orange clad man exclaimed rather obnoxiously, wrapping the mayor's thin frame into a bear hug. "Wasn't expecting my main mayor to come by! Maddie, come look!"

The woman of Vlad's dreams waved casually from the inside, reclining on a sofa with a confused expression on her face. "Hello... Vlad."

Gazing at her beautiful face only made a knot form in his stomach. She wouldn't be pleased to hear about the fate of her son.

Her husband led Vlad into the house and onto a couch, boisterously offering snacks and refreshments. His guest declined, his face stern.

"Jack, Maddie, we need to talk," the mayor informed them. "It's about Daniel."

Maddie raised a brow. "Is something wrong?Was he disrespectful?"

"Worse. He's _gone."_

Jack tilted his head in confusion and crashed onto a sofa. "What?"

Vlad sighed. "This isn't easy for me to tell you, but your son has been reported as missing. He... ran away, but hasn't been found since. I don't know how long he'll be gone, but there's a very real chance that it'll be indefinitely if I don't help establish a search party for him soon. I don't know all the details, but this is a dire situation. As bizarre as it seems, he could be in any country by now."

Maddie scoffed. "Vlad, really, is this _all_ you came to tell us? I don't know what you're up to, but it's odd, to say the least."

Jack nodded. "I'm not sure what he's talking about either. Is this a game?"

"No, it's not!" Vlad retorted, scowling at their disbelief. "He's lost and if we don't do something about it, we may never see him again! Why can't you understand that?"

"Because Danny is in his room," the curvaceous woman revealed. "I think legal work is getting to your head, Vlad. He just took a shower, and I asked him to go change and come down for dinner."

"Are you feeling alright?" Jack asked before raising his head towards the staircase. "Danny! Look who's come to visit!"

Vlad twisted his body to find the boy at the top of the stairs, shocked to see him alive and well. The child flashed him a quick smirk before descending and entering the living room, sitting next to his mother. Maddie placed a hand on his lap in comfort, sharing the sense of distrust in the mayor with her son.

"Danny," she began, "Vlad says you disappeared. Did something bad happen?"

The teen shook his head, feigning innocence. "No. I mean, I just took a longer route to walk back home, but I made it in time for curfew and everything. Maybe he's talking about some other kid?"

Jack turned to his college companion. "Yeah, you probably heard of someone else going missing. I still say the cause was probably evil ghosts, but our son is home safe. That's all that matters to us for now."

"It wasn't another child," Vlad insisted. "Look- I- oh, crispy croutons! May I _please_ have a private word with Daniel?"

Danny immediately tensed up, prompting a soft squeeze on his shoulder from his mother. "Why? We've got nothing to talk about. I haven't even seen you all day."

"Danny, don't be rude!" Jack lightly scolded him. "Things happen, and besides, you're the mayor's favorite second hand man! Besides me, at least. Have a nice talk with Vladdie, okay?"

Maddie rolled her eyes but hesitantly agreed to the ordeal, standing up and leaving the room with her husband. By the time they were gone, Vlad had a soft red glow in his eyes as he stared directly at the boy.

"What were you _thinking!"_ the mayor hissed. "Nearly entering outer space was a terrible abuse of your powers! What was going _on_ through your _mind?"  
_  
Danny shrugged, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "I don't know what you're talking about. I've been here for a while now. How could I have been in outer space?"

"Cut it out, Daniel," Vlad snapped. "This isn't the time. What if you'd gotten lost? What if you never found your original state? What if you landed in the middle of the jungle? Do you ever think ahead? I suppose not, considering your recent pranks on me. Still, you were absolutely _ridiculous-"  
_  
The boy coughed. _"I'm_ ridiculous? You're the one putting stupid laws all over the place. But guess where you _can't_ put them."

The mayor frowned deeply as Danny's finger pointed straight up.

"So you think you can just escape into the air whenever you want?" the older halfa ranted. "Do you know how idiotic that is? All your responsibilities are down _here."  
_  
"I don't care what you think. I can fly, and I can do whatever I want with that. Unless there's crazy evil ghosts like you in the air, I'm perfectly safe. _You_ just want me on lockdown."

 _"Butter_ biscuits, Daniel! I was _worried_ about you!"

The boy sat in silence, allowing his enemy's words to settle in. It was a completely unexpected reaction, but it only took a few moments for Daniel to chalk it up to a form of lying and manipulation. That made the comment all the more expected, really.

Typical Vlad.

"Yeah, I'll bet," Danny replied sarcastically. "No, you were worried I wouldn't be under your punishment. Admit it. You're trying to use your mayor powers to strangle me to death."

"That is what happens when you attack without warning!" Vlad pointes out. "Did you really think there would be no repercussions to your actions? I should have known your little trip to the Moon was just to spite me."

"Spite you? I was trying to get _away_ from you. You didn't have to follow me- you _chose_ to. I can't help it if you're obsessed with me, _or_ my mom. You're just a creepy stalker."

Vlad resisted the urge to slam his fist on a coffee table. "What, should I have let you fly higher and higher until you left the atmosphere? You were almost _there!_ Don't you realize that?"

Danny scoffed. "So what? I was in ghost form. It's not like I needed to breathe. Plus, it's nice and cold up there. You're just being a control freak, as usual."

"Daniel-"

"Oh, and you know what?" the teen continued, grinning. "You aren't always gonna be around to watch me. I'm gonna do it again. Free as a bird."

"Speaking of birds, I'll send my vultures after you," the mayor threatened. "How does _that_ sound?"

"Sounds good to me. They'll be just as useless as you were today. Heck, they might be just as freaked out as _you_ about flying up for fun. Why are you so against it? Haven't you ever gone up that far before?"

Vlad paused. "Daniel... that's not the point."

"Can't answer, old man?"

The older halfa sighed as he recalled the first and _only_ time he'd ever nearly flown to the stars above.

The memory was ingrained in him by heavy, unsettling emotions he'd learned to sweep under the rug. It was when he had only just begun practicing his powers, and like Daniel, flown past the clouds and into free air. But after seeing the entire world beneath him, and having remembered how his life had been torn apart by the accident, the vastness of the earth only served for one purpose.

To remind him how alone he was.

Of course, that was before he'd made a name for himself and became the billionaire he was today, and even better, he was now somewhat in contact with the love of his life- even if she _was_ a bit avoidant of him.

But Danny could have been lost forever. He had ghost powers, yes, but he was only a child, and if he'd lost track of the way the planet spun, or the location of his continent, he might have been lost for at least a month. Even then, the boy's ghost form would have eventually tired out, leaving a human trapped somewhere where nobody could find him.

A whole slew of problems Danny hadn't bothered to understand, and it was partially his fault.

Perhaps he was being too harsh with the new laws.

"I _can_ answer that, but it won't lead to anything, Daniel," Vlad began. "I understand... _why_ you did that. I still believe you lost your mind, but the cause isn't incomprehensible. I am fully aware of how my new laws inconvenience you- after all, that was their purpose."

Danny cocked a brow. "So?"

What could the mayor do? Go softer on a boy who'd fully intended to aggravate him?

That didn't make any tactical sense.

"Promise me you won't do that again," the older halfa demanded, his tone suddenly stern. "Promise me, or so help me I'm going to track you down and use my Plasmius Maximus against you until you're practically fully human again. _Now."  
_  
"What?" Danny exclaimed, astonished. "You- you can't _do_ that! Who's gonna fight all these ghosts?"

"In case you've forgotten, I've employed more ghost hunters, including your fool of a father. The choice is yours, Danny. Promise me, or if I catch you flying that high again, I _won't hesitate."  
_  
Danny's blue eyes widened. "No! Look! What about training me and all? You can't do that if you keep blasting me with the Maximus!"

"You aren't even serious about that," Vlad replied coldly. "Secondly, I have no need to train anyone who routinely abuses their abilities."

Danny racked his brains, but other than running away- a stupid and useless plan- no practical solution came to mind. Vlad could easily track him, and in respect to skill, was far his superior. Even if the teen destroyed the Plasmius Maximus, his enemy could always build ten more in its place, which would constantly leave him under the threat of having his powers removed.

Checkmate.


	3. Chapter 3

**(Sometimes I slip into writing OOC so)**

"Look at him, walking around like he _owns_ the place."

"Uh, he kind of does, Sam."

"Tucker! He does _not!"  
_  
The teenage trio sat on a bench at the park, watching the Vlad Masters use his mayoral authority to plant mechanical ghost catchers around the park. The weapons seemed to be at least moderately dangerous, but if their theory of their origin of their creation was correct, it wouldn't be so implausible. The man was skilled with making advanced tools, after all, especially when they were of the spectral type.

Another blow to their political retaliation.

Sam brushed her hair out of her face and pulled a few papers out of her black satchel. "At least we've got a better idea of what they do. Here, Tuck."

Danny watched as she gave the papers to their friend. "What are those?"

"They're the mechanical blueprints of the anti ghost machines he's putting in the park," Tucker answered, scanning the listed details. "We'll know what they're made for so you can avoid them better."

The young halfa turned to his female friend. "How'd you get them?"

"I asked my parents to bribe the builders to hand over some copies," the goth informed him. "Gotta use that money right. And now, you have an advantage over Plasmius."

"That's weird," Tucker muttered. "These machines don't actually do any damage."

The closeted lovebirds raised their brows.

"Yeah, no, I'm serious," the boy went on. "They're only scanners, not assault weapons. And the strangest thing about them is their range. It goes up at least three miles in the sky."

"Three whole _miles?"_ Sam repeated. "Even if ghosts are all the way up there, they're probably just passing by. That's _really_ high up, and way too high for damage. Why is Vlad so concerned about that?"

Daniel frowned, recalling his encounter with the mayor last week. He'd refused to promise a lack of free flight, and it was clear that the man had decided to take extra precautions.

But no matter how important as it was, he didn't want to tell his friends. They'd become extra worried about his safety, and might even take Vlad's side. The one bit of freedom he'd achieved was something so controversial, and it was just his luck, too. If only they'd realized that he was well versed in finding his way around by using the constellations above- something he'd learned from his interest in astronomy.

But they wouldn't understand.

"Because Vlad's a fruitloop," Daniel responded. "Just even more loopier than usual. Plus, he's probably blowing up his whole mayor image just for show."

"To show domination?" Tucker asked, folding up the papers.

Danny shook his head. "Nah, just to make it look like he's doing things to help. We all know he's a fraud, though."

"Greetings from your fraud, Daniel."

The three jolted at the mayor's voice, unaware that he'd been walking towards them. Staring up at his tall figure, they instantly raised their guard, preparing for a heated altercation. The younger halfa's eyes flashed a bright green before reverting back to their original color, making the man chuckle.

"So on edge, aren't you?" Vlad noted. "And don't worry, Miss Manson. My workers told me _exactly_ who asked to take an unauthorized preview of the blueprints. Whatever your parents can pay, I can pay ten times more."

"If you didn't want us to have the papers, how'd I get them?" Sam asked, pressing her hands against the bench. "You're not as persuasive as you think you are."

"Who said I didn't want you to have them? By all means, children, read through them as much as you like. It won't do anything against me. Daniel, however-"

The older halfa gave the boy a side glance.

"Might take up a few issues with the ranging capabilities of these machines. Little does he know, it's for his own good."

"Dude, what's he talking about?" Tucker asked his ghostly friend. "Is it a crackdown on your ghost powers?"

Danny frowned deeply. "Yeah, something like that."

Vlad raised a brow at his enemy's friends. "You mean he hasn't told you what he's done? What a strange thing to keep a secret."

Sam turned towards her crush. "What secret? We already know about your ghost powers."

"I know," Danny pointed out. "Just ignore him. He's just trying to confuse you guys. Fruitloop, remember?"

"Malicious _mints_ , Daniel," Vlad huffed. "Stop using that name against me. If anything, _you_ earned that title after your little stunt last week. You can't even think about your _own_ safety when you're fighting ghosts, and now, it's escalated to plain tomfoolery with your powers."

"You've been messing around with your powers?" Tucker asked Danny, intrigued. "Why didn't you tell us? We could have had fun with that!"

Sam spun her head to face her friend. "Tucker!"

"Sorry! Just... sounded like a good time."

The goth shook her head, then turned back to the ghostly boy. "Danny, what happened? Did you hurt yourself? What's Vlad talking about?"

Danny crossed his arms, glaring at the mayor. "Sam, c'mon! He's just messing with you! I didn't do anything! Why are you _believing_ him?"

"It doesn't matter whether you lie or not, Daniel," the older halfa pointed out. "These machines will keep you in check, should you dare fly close to outer space again."

Sam and Tucker's jaws dropped. "Outer _space?"  
_  
Vlad nodded. "He almost left our orbit."

Danny's face turned pink. "You guys-"

"Danny, you can't go that far up!" Sam scolded, her safety instincts kicking in. "You could get lost! The Earth spins right underneath you super fast, so you might have landed somewhere in the middle of the desert! There are spying satellites up there who could alarm people because of you!"

"Yeah," Tucker chimed in. "Dude, what if your ghost form conked out and you turned human? You'd fall and die! Or you could accidentally fall so out of orbit you'd be too tired to chase the planet and accidentally convert in space- you'd die _again!"  
_  
The silver haired halfa grinned. "Seems like your friends are on the right side of logic, Daniel. No wonder you didn't tell them."

Danny stood up and stared defiantly at the man. "Thanks a lot. I'm going home."

Tucker's face suddenly became much softer. "Wait, Danny-"

 _"Bye_ , Tuck," the raven haired teen cut him off. "I'll see you guys later. I'm gonna take some alone time. Thanks for listening to Vlad over me, by the way."

Sam watched silently as her close friend walked away, feeling guilt for lashing out so quickly. She then gave Vlad a side eyed glance, wary of the man.

"Those range machines are to... make sure Danny doesn't fly that high again, aren't they?" she muttered.

The mayor nodded. "You two had better knock some sense into him before I do. The machines are just for precautions, but I assure you, they don't have the ability to shoot him down. That's what _I_ intend to do if he tries it again."

"Hey!" Tucker shot back. "Can't just _shoot_ him! He's our best friend!"

"Well, then you need to convince Daniel to stay _safe_ instead of risking his life. You could have lost him forever the other day, and you didn't even know it. It was only dumb luck he'd managed to make it back."

The three turned to watch the irritated boy's thin figure disappear into the distance, each wondering how to fix the situation.

"You know," Vlad finally spoke up, "I suppose I'll have to have another talk with him. He's probably not thinking straight due to stress."


	4. Chapter 4

**:/**

Daniel sat on top of his parents' roof, having long deactivated the surrounding weaponry. He knew the passwords, after all. Remaining in ghost form, he crossed his legs and stared up at the sky, biting back the harsh emotions his friends had managed to raise. It wasn't their fault, really- they were only looking after him.

But they'd taken Vlad's side.

Of course, they were no doubt still his friends in terms of fighting the enemy, but they still found it necessary to infringe upon his freedom. So what if he wanted to fly up to the horizons? The sights were stunning, the air was cold, and hardly a ghost wandered near there. Perhaps he could even grab his earbuds and listen to music while soaring the clouds, dissipating his stress into the atmosphere.

But the ghost detector machines had already been set up.

Before Danny could form a plot to destroy them, a wisp of blue air escaped his lips, making him gasp. Launching himself to his feet, he whipped around to find Plasmius at the edge of the roof, staring at him. The older ghost's cape fluttered in the light breeze as he flew slowly towards the teen, inch by inch.

"Leave me alone," the boy hissed, forming green energy in his gloved hands. "What are _you_ here for? You got what you wanted."

Vlad tilted his head. "Don't presume to know what I want. Secondly, I find it ironic. Remember what you told me, Daniel?"

The younger halfa shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"You told me I couldn't place any rules in the sky. Well, here we are, and I've done just that."

The man's words triggered a neon green blast from his enemy, though he easily caught it and forced it to dissipate. Danny tried again, only to achieve the same results. After a few more blasts, he gave up, not having been in the mood to fight in the first place.

"Congratulations, Plasmius," the teen scoffed. "You beat someone one tenth your age. Do you want a gold sticker?"

Vlad's eyes widened at the comment, then narrowed. "I'm not that old. Secondly, no, I'm already aware I've won. I just want to have a talk with you."

"Over my dead body."

"Exactly. Now, listen to me. Why are you so fixated on going all the way up there? Are you stressed? If so, you should take a break from ghost fighting."

"I will _not_ ," Danny retorted. "Nice try, though. I'll give it up when _you_ give up chasing after my mom."

"Daniel, please, you're... not in the right state of mind right now," Plasmius informed him. "You're overloading yourself with work, and instead of having a safe outlet, you've picked a dangerous one. Look-"

The older ghost pulled out the Plasmius Maximus from underneath his cape, making Danny shudder.

"If you don't heed my warnings, this is only going to end one way, and you know it. Listen to reason."

The boy stared wide eyed at the parasitic machine, holding an arm in front of himself subconsciously. "You're- no-you can't-"

"Shock you?" the mayor finished his sentence. "Not unless you disobey me. You brought this upon yourself, Daniel, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you kill yourself."

"I'm not going to kill myself!" the younger halfa shot back. "And why are you still acting like you care? You make me miserable on purpose, then act all _surprised_ when it affects me? You couldn't care _less_ if the Guys in White captured me, let alone if I died! So stop faking it!"

Vlad sighed. "You're wrong, Daniel, and I wish you knew that. But for now, I'm going to use any action I see fit to keep you from hurting yourself. I may be your enemy, but I'm not entirely ruthless. I'm not Skulker, after all."

"It doesn't matter! He works for y- _OW!"  
_  
Plasmius used a giant ray of plasma to slam the boy to the ground, then shot out ropes of the pink energy to tie him down. The teen struggled to escape, but his powers were absorbed by his enemy just as fast as he let them out.

"What are you _doing?"_ Danny shouted, kicking against the roof. "Let me go!"

"Just hold still for a moment," his enemy commanded him, switching on the Plasmius Maximus. "It's going to sting, as I'm sure you know. But you'll be fine afterwards."

Danny let out a yelp when he realized what the man's plan was. "I didn't even fly up again! STOP!"

"I'm aware, but from the way you're acting, it doesn't seem like you'd resist the urge. This is a matter of prevention."

The teen screamed at the jolt of electricity, and felt his ghost form melt away like corrosive acid sliding off his body. All the thrashing in the world couldn't stop the assault by then, so all he could do was take it. A few moments later, he was reduced to a painless, yet vulnerable human form in the older ghost's clutches.

"You'll thank me later, Daniel," Vlad informed the boy, using his solidified energy to place him safely onto the floor below. "I'll do this until you promise me you'll listen to my orders. Until then, get used to being human."

"NO!" Danny cried out, staring at his human hands. "You're endangering EVERYONE!"

Plasmius scoffed. "If you're referring to the supposed lack of ghost fighters, there isn't any. The town will be fine. It's time you got that work off your shoulders."

"YOU'RE _INSANE!_ THEY CAN'T DO IT LIKE I CAN!"

"So will you promise me to only use your powers with limits on them?"

Danny stared at his enemy in disbelief. "Why do you have to ruin EVERYTHING just to get people to do what you want? Why can't you just leave me _alone?"  
_  
"If you read between the lines, Daniel, you'd understand," the man explained. "But if you insist on living in your bubble, this is what you're going to deal with."

"VLAD!"

"No. You're a danger to yourself, and if I have to deactivate you for the time being, I will."

The boy swore and spun around to open his front door and run inside the house, slamming the door behind him and making his way towards his basement. For the moment, any weapon would do, and luckily, his parents were out for a shopping trip.

But his sister wasn't.

Danny stumbled into Jazz and toppled over, tripping the redhead in the process. Materials in her arms scattered all over the floor, prompting a groan from her.

"Danny, what are you doing?" she asked, pushing him off to pick up the tools. "Why are you down here? Are you going to the ghost zone?"

"N-no," the teen informed her, clearly frazzled. "Vlad's outside, and he shot me. I can't turn ghost, and I need to find something to attack him back. You gotta help me-"

"Daniel!" Plasmius's voice called out as the older halfa phased through the ceiling. "Y- why _hello_ , Jasmine. I haven't seen you in a while. But I'll have to ask you not to assist your brother in anything he asks you to."

"And why _not?"_ Jazz snapped, reaching for nearby EctoBlade. "I'd trust him over you any day!"

But by the time the mayor revealed the entire situation, the girl's eyes were wide with worry and irritation- much like Vlad's had been before.

"Oh, _seriously?_ " the younger halfa exclaimed, exasperated. "You're just going to tell _everyone?_ Just go away!"

Jazz pulled away the ecto guns that her brother had managed to snatch during the man's explanation and locked them up, making Danny even more frustrated.

"Why- why would you fly that high?" she asked. "I could have _lost_ you, Danny! What if you lost track of home? What if something forced you to turn human? You could have-"

"I _wouldn't_ have, Jazz!" the younger teen cut her off before turning to his floating enemy. "Look what you've done! You've ruined everything!"

"You need time _away_ from those responsibilities that were never _yours_ , Daniel," Vlad insisted. "Ruining your own life and grades, and now, nearly ensuring your death."

"Maybe you should stop _stressing_ me with your stupid new rules! I can't even eat my favorite burgers anymore! Don't tell me _that's_ for my safety too!"

Vlad paused.

Perhaps _he_ was part of the problem.


	5. Chapter 5

**(Wow I completely forgot about this story..)**

One hour left.

Danny sighed, flipping over to yet another page of geometry questions. He sat at the kitchen table with his homework laid across in front of him, but truth be told, it was the furthest thing from his mind. Right now, the each tick of the clock on the wall pounded through his head like a drum, reminding him of how much time he had left as a human.

Luckily, he would soon be released Vlad's abusive spell.

The strangest thing about it, however, was that the recent events weren't adding up. The Plasmius Maximus only had temporary effects, so it would certainly be useless in the long run. The only way it would make sense to use the dreaded machine would be to shock the boy every three hours- something he hoped even _Vlad_ wouldn't have the heart to do. Besides, if there was anything he knew about the man, it was that he didn't like to waste time.

Secondly, Plasmius had left their previous fight without so much as a sarcastic response. Just one simple remark pertaining to the teenager ban on the Nasty Burger, and the older halfa left quickly, as if feeling guilty for the nonsensical rules he'd established. Of course, the teen knew better than anyone that guilt was the last emotion Plasmius would have felt. Most likely, he was plotting something sinister.

Still, it was quite unusual to have gotten rid of him so easily. Usually _Danny_ would be the one to have to run away.

Of course, the fight hadn't been _entirely_ without repercussions. Not only had he been temporarily reduced to a full human, but Jazz was now on his case. After Vlad had left, the boy suffered an earful of concerned ramblings from his older sister, prompting him to all but shut his eyes until she stopped. Unfortunately, his parents were out late on a ghost hunting trip, so there was no one to stop her. For now, she'd forced him to do his homework, insisting that he now had plenty of time to study and attempt to pick up his grades.

If he didn't struggle with math so much, he might have seen that as an advantage.

"Danny, we're home!"

The sound of his mother's voice at the door alerted the teen to drop his pencil and lift his head from his book, making him grateful for the interruption. Moments later, his parents walked into the kitchen to greet him with tired smiles, holding plastic cartons in their hands.

"Hey, Danny boy!" Jack greeted his son, setting his share of the cartons on the table. "Been working on your grades?"

"We brought some takeout after we captured a few echo-crooks," Maddie informed Danny sweetly, setting her gear down to drink some water. "We figured you might like a Nasty Burger dinner since you probably miss it."

The teen's eyes lit up instantly. "Wait, really? Thanks, you guys!"

Danny pulled one of the cartons towards himself, and true to their word, it contained a big, juicy burger. Pushing his homework aside to avoid covering them in grease, he wolfed down meal, relishing the taste. The tomatoes were perfect, the meat was savory, the bread was soft, and the ketchup was wonderfully sweet. Though he still felt slight resentment from the mild betrayal from his friends, he wished he could share the moment with them.

He almost felt bad for leaving them at the park.

Danny shook his head, refusing to let guilt crawl its way under his skin. He'd suffered enough already, hadn't he? He could blame Vlad for that. Just for the night, he deserved a break away from all the annoyances he'd had to put up with for the past week. Starting with his precious Nasty Burger, he'd start to enjoy himself again.

"Hey _Danny,"_ Jasmine called out to the teen, entering the kitchen as their father left, "Did you leave any for me? Don't hog it all!"

"I'm not hogging anything," the child scoffed, pushing a carton towards his sister. "Here."

The redhead accepted her dinner and sat down across the table, taking her first few bites as well. "Don't tell me me you're still mad about not going out ghost hunting."

"I'm not."

"How long do the effects of Vlad's machine last?"

Danny paused to think. Truthfully, he would only have twenty more minutes before returning to his halfa status, but it wouldn't be wise to reveal that. After all, as soon as he regained his powers, he planned to go on another flight to the very edge of the sky- the night was dark, and if he remained invisible and intangible, Vlad would never even have a clue. But if Jazz knew the truth, any sort of suspicious absence would make her even more frustrated and worried with him.

"About half a day left," the teen lied, feigning irritation. "I hate that machine. You know what? I'll just chill in my room and listen to some tunes, then I'll go to bed."

Jazz smiled. "I'm glad you're being mature about this. I know you've got twelve hours of being powerless left, but you're taking it well. You're even almost done with your homework."

"Yeah. Thanks, Jazz."

The two sat ate quietly for a few moments before being joined by their parents- though, Jack and Maddie only came for the leftovers. Danny felt slight guilt about lying to his sister, then shook it off, remembering that it was a lifestyle he'd already gotten used to ever since the accident. Instead, he kept up his charade- much easier to do with delicious food in his hands.

"Vlad's so generous, isn't he?" Jack remarked, reaching for a fry. "What a great pal."

Danny nearly choked on his food. "V-Vlad? What? He _paid_ for this?"

"He did," his mother replied. "Apparently, it was his way of thanking Amity Park's best ghost hunters... or something."

The boy rolled his eyes and caught the underlying meaning in his mother's tone. No doubt, the older halfa had tried to worm his way into her heart with some free food at his expense. It was almost laughable how much of a kiss up the powerful man could be when in front of the "love of his life". It made Danny glad to see just how loyal his mother truly was to her family.

"Alright, you two," Jack began. "Your mother and I are dead tired, so you'll have to do the cleaning. Make sure the place is spotless!"

The teen turned to his sister. "Jazz, you can go to bed too. I'll take care of it. It's not like I have anything else to do, remember?"

The older three retired to their rooms, leaving Danny alone with the leftovers. He began to put the condiments away, and soon moved onto the cartons, placing them in the fridge. As he tidied up, he felt a strange tingle, causing him to pause and test his powers by forming a small ball of green energy in his palm.

It worked.

He smirked, glad the meal and conversations had taken the perfect amount of time. After finishing the self imposed chore, he switched the lights off and stretched, preparing to soar high into the sky. Before he could exit the kitchen, however, he spotted a light coming from the microwave. Raising a brow, he walked through the darkness and opened its small door, finding a forgotten carton inside. He lifted the lid and instantly stepped back, surprised by what he saw.

The burger inside glowed bright green.

"What the- _what?"_ he muttered to himself, his eyes wide. "Was the food contaminated? Oh... _no."  
_  
He immediately began to pat himself down and press any areas that contained his vital organs, but to his confusion, he felt no pain. He felt no dizziness or a headache, and no nausea came crawling up his throat. He activated his ghost powers by creating the same ball of energy in his palm, and yet, faced no obstacle in doing so. Curiously, he shot a harmless blast into his other palm to reabsorb it with a tiny shield, and found it effortless.

"Doesn't look like anything's wrong," he mumbled. "I don't have time for this, anyway. The night doesn't last all... night. Heh."

Danny turned invisible, switched into his ghost form, then flew right through the roof and into the cool air above. There was no current need to stay intangible, though, since no one was attacking him. Grinning from ear to ear, he flew one hundred feet into the air, grateful for the escape.

"Take _that_ , Vlad," he laughed, darting through the trees and various buildings. The stars above seemed to call out to him, prompting him to fly even higher. By now, the nightly pedestrians had been reduced to the size of ants, and it felt wonderful to get away from the hustle and bustle of it all. If he made his way high enough, he could watch his first ever sunrise from outer spa-

His world was turning green.

The teen paused mid flight. Peering down at his body, he found that even though he was completely invisible, a soft emerald light surrounded all the places his limbs and body were presumed to be. It was as if a lightbulb was glowing, but without the lightbulb itself as a source. Apparently, the strange effect had spread to his eyes as well, which would explain the new tint the world took on.

"I- I thought I was undetectable?" Danny stuttered, attempting to reduce the light emitting from his body. His efforts were fruitless, however- he was already invisible, and there was nothing else he could do. He tried turning intangible, but even that didn't help, due to the fact that intangibility has nothing to do with light or color.

Suddenly, the sound of an alarm rang through the air.

The boy stared down at the earth beneath him, finding himself a couple hundred feet above the park. One of Vlad's strange contraptions that he'd set up during the day appeared to be emitting gentle rays of light, and one such ray had fallen on his still invisible form. However, it seemed to detect the green light around his body immediately, triggering the wailing sounds that alerted the people below.

Vlad had set him up.


	6. Chapter 6

**(I know my space science isn't super accurate but this is fiction guys :P)**

"Daniel," a voice murmured from behind him, "While I'm glad I caught you red handed, I'm rather disappointed you didn't catch on."

Danny, still invisible and intangible, whipped around to find Plasmius's large figure floating about twenty feet away. The man shook his head at the boy and crossed his arms, ever so slowly floating closer.

"I call it the Phantom Highlighter, or Philighter for short," Vlad explained. "A useful little chemical I extracted from massive, carnivorous glow worms in the Ghost Zone. When these particular creatures bite someone, the chemical enters the bloodstream and latches onto their ghostly essence, creating its own independent light source that can't be hidden by the prey. This allows the worms to hunt down and kill them. All I had to do was find a way to insert it inside _your_ bloodstream, and I had to look no further than the food you must miss so _terribly."_

The boy swore under his breath, giving the older halfa the angriest glare he could muster. He soon realized that it had no effect on his enemy- after all, he was still invisible. Plasmius could only see the soft green light, not his actual body.

Danny shot up into the sky.

"Leave me alone for _one_ day, you creep," he mumbled under his breath, tripling his flight speed in only five seconds. "Clingy, unstable _maniac."_

"Daniel!" Vlad shouted from below, momentarily shocked that the boy would even attempt the flight, "Come down! _Now!"_

Danny had no intention of slowing down, of course, but he did intend for this night to be different. Up until a few minutes ago, he thought he could enjoy the luxury of a silent, free flight. Though his plans were shattered, however, a new idea bloomed in his mind- one that was even _more_ drastic than before. If he was already constantly glowing, Vlad would always see him in his ghost form as long as he was in the man's visibility range.

One one hand, it was a drawback against his privacy. From here on until he got back to Earth, Plasmius would likely be following him the entire way. However, if he played his cards just right, Danny could turn the glow into a safety net, assuring that he would always be watched in case something happened to him. This would mean that if his powers somehow faltered, the older halfa would be forced to save him- something the boy considered a win. Another positive aspect to the glow was that if it kept a highly intelligent person with at least some knowledge of advanced astronomy on his ghostly tail, it would mean that Danny could fly just about anywhere he wanted without the fear of getting lost.

Including the moon.

"This is such a _dream,"_ the teen whispered to himself, realizing Vlad had unknowingly tricked himself into becoming his personal lifeguard. "I wonder what it's going to be like to land on there."

"DANIEL!" Vlad shouted, increasing his speed of flight, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING? I CAN SEE YOU ALL THE WAY! DO YOU _REALIZE_ THAT?"

"I sure do!" the boy exclaimed, tripling his speed. By now, he could only see sparkling lights from below, unable to tell apart state borders in the darkness. The stars twinkled above him, seemingly calling out to him as if they were eager for his presence. Thought Danny knew flying to one of them was pretty much impossible, he imagined what it would be like to fly right into one. His other celestial guide, the moon, shone brightly with the reflected light of the sleeping sun, only a quarter of it remaining black.

"DON'T MAKE ME DO SOMETHING YOU'LL REGRET!" an increasingly worried Vlad yelled, already feeling the unwelcome cold around his fire core.

"Like what?" the younger halfa shouted back, watching as they approached a familiar layer of clouds. "Gonna call your dumb birds? Stay for the ride, old man!"

Danny shot through the fluffy clouds with glee, letting himself go tangible just to feel the fresh wetness on his suit. The moisture invigorated him and cooled his body down, comforting his Ice core. The moonlight was even more intense up above, and he doubled his speed, keeping his eye on his target. One way or another, he was going to be the first ghost on the ancient rock above.

"I SWEAR TO YOU, DANIEL, YOU WILL REGRET THIS!" his enemy threatened. "YOUR ACTIONS WILL HURT EVERYONE! YOU, ME, YOUR PARENTS-"

"My parents have nothing to do with this, you psycho!" the white haired ghost interrupted, again doubling his speed. By now, he could tell that they were slowly beginning to leave the Earth's lower atmosphere- he could feel the pressure on his body slowly thinning, and it became even easier to increase his speed. He did so with vigor, even more strengthened by the new cold around him.

"THEY HAVE _EVERYTHING_ TO DO WITH THIS!"

Vlad retorted. "WHAT WOULD YOUR MOTHER THINK?"

" _You're_ the one always obsessed with what my mom thinks!" the boy pointed out, soon seeing the horizon. "Why don't _you_ tell _me?"_

"YOU'RE NOT TAKING ME SERIOUSLY, DANIEL!"

Danny laughed. "What was your first clue?"

The child' breath hitched as he saw the edge of his home planet come into view- only this time, there was no sunset behind it. Only pure darkness, save the stars that littered the universe. He thought he saw a planet or two, but from this high up, it was hard to tell where to even _begin_ accurately tracking them. It was best to keep his eyes on the moon. It was growing ever nearer, and the cracks and craters shaping its surface became increasingly clearer. It was almost as if he had entered a different, dark dimension, where all astronauts dreamed they could-

Vlad was muttering something in the background.

"Did he lose his voice?" the younger halfa whispered to himself, carefully turning his head back to watch the mayor's actions. "What is he _doing?"_

Plasmius was holding what appeared to be a phone, pressing it against his ear and having a conversation with someone on the other end. At first, the randomness was enough to make Danny raise a brow and nothing more. He never even knew that Vlad had brought a phone with him at all. Soon, however, the absurdity of the situation made the boy giggle.

"Dude, that's pathetic!" the teen informed the older halfa, doubling his speed yet again. "There's no signal up here! You can't trick me into thinking you're having an actual conversation on a phone in _space!_ How dumb do you think I _am?"_

Vlad said nothing, continuing to speak on the phone. What was even stranger, however, was how the man began to grin as he chatted.

"Yeah, he's definitely lost his mind... again," Danny sighed, staring up above. At this pace, it wouldn't be long before he reached the moon. Perhaps he would meet his goal in as little as ten minutes.

"I don't think you're dumb, Daniel," Plasmius suddenly answered, turning off the phone. His voice was eerily smooth- a sharp contrast from his panicked yelling earlier. "At least, not for a fourteen year old. You're simply unprepared."

The boy didn't dare turn around, feeling that something was very off about the situation. "What does that mean?"

"I have backup, unlike you. Since you clearly won't listen to _me_ , perhaps you'll listen to your parents. I called them and told them that you went missing. They've just checked your bedroom and saw for themselves that I'm telling the truth."

Danny shook his head. "Ugh, we've been over this. I'm not stupid enough to think you _actually_ have signal in space. We're at the edge of the atmosphere!"

"Ah, but I have a _satellite_ phone. You know as well as I do that they work just fine in space."

The teen's blood froze.

"You... _didn't,"_ the child gasped, unknowingly slowing down from shock. "I can't believe-"

"I _told_ you not to make me do something you'd regret, didn't I?" Vlad responded, smirking. "You've left yourself with only two choices. One, you can fly as far as you want- but the longer you take, the more you'll have to try to explain to your parents who are currently worried _sick_. Unlike last time, you can't fool them into thinking you were home. Two, you can settle back down to earth right now, and I'll explain everything away, as well as place a temporary lock on your powers."

Danny stared longingly at the giant white rock above. "You ruined _everything."_

"What does "everything" entail, Daniel? What were you actually planning to do tonight?"

"Be the first ghost on the moon."

Plasmius let out a laugh, startling Danny. "I had no _idea_ you would be so bold today, my boy. I wonder if fear and desperation drove you to it. Nonetheless, you'd better make your choice fast. We've already left the Earth's atmosphere entirely."

The teen gasped.

For the first time, he was truly in outer space.


	7. Chapter 7

_**(I'm back from the dead. My writing skills may have withered a bit. Oh well.)**_

Danny found himself being pushed into a chair, his arms and limbs strapped down to the sides and legs of the furniture. Despite the fact that the chair was padded with a rich velvet exterior, it didn't make his situation any more comfortable. Then again, after the rapid flight back down to Earth, nothing felt comfortable anymore. His hopes and dreams dangled high in the night sky, and the moon was so close, yet so far.

But this wasn't the end of his rebellion.

"AAAH! he yelped, feeling the restraints activate a sudden anti-ghost energy current. Unable to maintain his ghost form, he was forced to convert to his human body to end the pain. "That _hurts!"_

"Hm, who could have guessed?" came a sarcastic reply.

Vlad stood above the boy, humming something to himself as he pulled something out of a cabinet. The child watched in alarm as he pulled out a jar of pitch black muck, grimacing as it was placed on the table before him. The strange object was entirely out of place with the otherwise normal design of the mayor's office, which begged the question-

What _else_ was Vlad hiding in plain sight?

"Is that _tar?"_ Danny asked, crinkling his nose. "Or swamp sludge? It looks nasty."

"No nastier than a child who nearly gets himself killed just to spite me," Plasmius retorted. "Relax, Daniel. It's only dye."

The boy tilted his head. "You're switching from white to black hair now? You know, my mom isn't going to-

"It's not to impress your mother, boy, or I would have done it a long time ago. It's for you."

"My hair's already black! Is your old man vision finally settling in?"

A sharp tug of the child's hair made him yelp.

Vlad smirked. "Charming, aren't you? To clue you in, I'm concocting a story to tell your parents as an explanation for your absence. You have no choice but to, as you young folks say, "roll with it"."

"I cringe every time you try to talk like you're my age, you know that?" Danny spat, still feeling a twinge of pain from the hair yanking. "Cut it out and tell me what lies you're going to feed them _this_ time."

"You were captured by a rowdy ghost gang that wanted new recruits for some afterlife tomfoolery," the man explained, scooping up some of the tar into small paper cones. "In order to make you theirs, they tried to brand you with a devilish tattoo made from the ecto-paste of the Cyathorn plant. Luckily, one of the new ghost hunters managed to run them off before they could steal you away forever."

His captive rolled his eyes. "You're so dramatic."

"So are your parents."

The younger halfa shook his head in frustration, then glanced at the paste. It reminded him of nasty gunk you'd find at the bottom of sewers, but without the smell. He tapped his feet against the floor in thought, wondering if there was any malicious aspect to the plan.

"So you're just going to... tattoo me?" Danny asked, eyeing his captor. "Hey, wait- I'm not 18 yet! You can't-"

"Oh calm _down_ , you neurotic flesh-spirit. I'm not going to jab needles in you. All I have to do is apply this topically in whatever pattern I wish, and it sinks in to mark you. It lasts for about a month and vanishes on its own- painlessly, I might add. Your parents already know about the Cyathorn plant, so they won't be too concerned."

"How do _you_ know _they_ know about it?"

"I... may have trespassed into their discoveries. It's not hard to figure out some of your father's database passcodes, considering how much he worships me."

Phantom narrowed his eyes, losing even more respect for the person before him- whatever was left of it, at least. "What's the catch?"

"So glad you asked," the man continued, a small grin forming on his face. "Normally, you won't feel the mark at all- painless as a freckle. However, if you attempt to change into ghost form or use your powers, every cell that's been dyed will feel terrible agony- as will you, of course."

"PLASMIUS!"

"Oh, don't try to escape," Vlad went on, slipping on latex gloves and watching Danny attempt to wrestle his way out of the metal clasps. "It's useless. Besides, the application won't hurt at all, so there's no need to torture yourself further."

Daniel tried to regain his ghost form for at least a few seconds just to turn intangible, but a white-hot bolt of pain shot through him again, causing him to scream. The older halfa leaned down and grabbed the boy by the neck, slamming it against the wall. Squeezing just hard enough to force the teenager to go lightheaded, Vlad used his other hand to trace various constellations onto the boy's pale skin. Then, as an afterthought, he traced Jack's name on it as well, hoping it would cause the orange clad man to go paranoid. For a few more minutes, careful not to let the child faint as he fought to stay conscious, the older halfa allowed the dye to sink in and finish the job.

Finally, he released his grip.

" _Oh_ my- agh- _fu-_ " Danny hacked, gripping his throat. He doubled over despite the restraints, gasping for breath as cool air flooded his lungs. "I'm going to- ow- KILL-"

"Ah-ah-ah, we'll have none of that," Vlad cut him off, pressing a button above the chair to retract the metal bonds. He then watched the boy fall to the floor, knowing he still felt incredibly woozy from the lack of air. "Take it easy. You'll be just fine soon enough."

"You- I can't- agh-" Danny sputtered, launching himself into a coughing fit as he watched Vlad lock away all traces of the dye and cones back in the cabinet. "My parents-"

"Will see their poor boy still reeling from a terrible ghost gang attack, just barely having survived... _won't_ they, _Daniel?"_

The child simply glared at him once he was able to regain a more stable pattern of breathing, unable to form words that could convey his disgust at the audacity of it all. Vlad smirked and casually leaned against the wall, feeling a sense of pride and domination from having his enemy sprawled across the floor below him. Watching Danny rub his sore neck muscles was a lovely sight to behold- it wasn't meant to hurt him, only to force him to act out the planned story, yet the anguish in his eyes was deliciously real.

The millionaire glanced at his watch. "I called them to come over before you ever sat down in that chair. They should be here... any minute now."

About five minutes later, Jack and Maddie busted through the door in an overdramatized fashion, knocking the wood right off its hinges. The second they saw their son kneeling on the floor, they immediately rushed to his side, hoisting him up with their arms. By the time Vlad had relayed the rehearsed events to them, pointing at the boy's neck for proof, they became even more frantic, demanding to know where the ghost gang was.

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea where they flew off to," Plasmius sighed. "The only ghost the alarms alerted the town to tonight was Phantom."

Jack punched his hand against the wall, startling the thinner man. "Should have _known_ that no good creep would come after the kids one day! He's probably part of the gang too! Maddie, where do we keep the group nets?"

Danny, upon hearing his alter ego being blamed for his own suffering, bit his tongue. Vlad had managed to hurt a soft spot yet again, and it was all he could do not to wrangle him- that is, once his throat ceased to throb. Human or not, the older halfa packed quite a punch.

"I'll make you regret this," he grumbled.


End file.
